Disposable bedpan

ABSTRACT

A disposable bedpan comprises an open top pan having a side wall, and a seat at the open top of the pan and having an oval shaped opening for communication with the interior of the pan. The seat and pan have cooperating ring elements of substantially the same diameter and which may be arranged coaxially at any relative orientation and then assembled by snapping one of the ring elements into the other to form a fluid tight seal between the assembled seat and pan. The opening in the seat is approximately flush with the open top of the pan in one region to facilitate emptying the bedpan thereat. In packaging, the seats and pans are separately stacked or nested to save space.

United States Patent m Huggins 1, Oct. 15, 1974 DISPOSABLE BEDPAN v [75] Inventor: James A. Huggins, Libertyville, 111.

[73] Assignee: Med-Pak Corporation, Charleston,

W. Va.

[22] Filed: Apr. 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 349,958

3,460,164 8/1969 Patton 4/112 3,532,244 10/1970 Yates, Jr... 220/60 R X 3,592,349 7/1971 Baugh 220/60 R X 3,618,802 11/1971 Yates, Jr... 220/60 R X 3,768,846 [0/1973 Hensley ..52/594X Primary Examiner l-lenry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or Firr'n-Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[5 7 ABSTRACT A disposable bedpan comprises an open top pan having a side wall, and a seat at the open top of the pan and having an oval shaped opening for communication with the interior of the pan. The seat and pan have cooperating ring elements of substantially the same diameter and which may be arranged coaxially at any relative orientation and then assembled by snapping one of the ring elements into the other to form a fluid tight seal between the assembled seat and pan. The opening in the seat is approximately flush with the open top of the pan in one region to facilitate emptying the bedpan thereat. In packaging, the seats and pans are separately stacked or nested to save space.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures DISPOSABLE BEDPAN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in disposable bedpans of the type ordinarily used for patients in hospitals.

In hospitals, nursing homes and like institutions there is a sanitation problem resulting from the handling use, and cleaning of bedpans. To alleviate this problem to some extent disposable bedpans have been used. Generally speaking, these bedpans have been one-piece or preassembled units that ordinarily require excessive storage space if the bedpans are designed with adequate volume. Since storage space is always at a premium in hospitals and like institutions, it has been proposed to design bedpans which nest or telescope within one another so that storage space can be saved. These units, however, often do not have either adequate size or proper shape. Sometimes such units are not supported on a bed with adequate stability. The result is that they become difficult to use without spilling.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a disposable bedpan that can be made with sufficient volume and with a proper shape so that the bedpan can be easily used without spilling or tipping in a bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide disposable bedpans of the type stated having seats and pans which may be separately stacked for storage purposes, and wherein a seat and pan can be readily assembled without difficulty. The separate stacking of the respective seats and pans results in a reduction of storage space as compared to that which would be required for preassembled bedpans.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bedpan of the type stated that embodies mating circular locking ring elements of substantially the same diameters on the pan and on the seat whereby the seat and pan may be assembled at any relative coaxial orientation to provide a fluid tight seal between the pan and seat at those rings. This facilitates assembly of the bedpan even by unskilled personnel. Also, this reduces the possibility of an improper or imperfect seal between the rings which might otherwise be present if the seat and pan had to be properly oriented prior to assembly but were in fact not properly so orientated.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a bedpan of the type stated in which the mating rings snap lock securely together by simply axially pressing the seat and pan together.

In accordance with the foregoing objects the seat is somewhat saddle or dish shaped to provide a structure upon which the patient tends to stay in place. Thus, the outer portion of the seat is higher than the inner portion of the seat, and the outer portion of the seat at the front and rear sections of the seat are higher than the outer portion of the seat at the sides thereof. The inner portion of the seat is lower than the aforesaid outer portions and includes a flange that lies within the confines of the upper end of the sidewall of the pan. This flange defines an oval-shaped opening for communication into the pan. This flange is radially inwardly spaced from the sidewall of the pan over a'region that is a major portion of the circumferential extent of the sidewall. This flange is, however, substantially flush with the sidewall over a region that is a minor portion of the circumferential extent of the sidewall. This construction facilitates emptying the bedpan at the lattermentioned region, which is preferably at one of the two ends of the oval.

Depending from the bottom of the seat is a circular ring of U-shaped cross-section which is adapted to snap-fit with a mating ring of like diameter on the pan. This mating ring is formed as a wedge-shaped upper end of the sidewall of the pan. These two rings interlock with a snap fit to provide a leak proof joint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bedpan according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the seat only as would be viewed from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the seat as seen from line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary portions of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 shows the seats stacked for storage;

FIG. 8 shows the pans stacked for storage;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the rings on the seat and pan preparatory to snap engagement; and

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIG. 6 and showing the assembled rings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawing, there is shown a bedpan 2 that includes generally a pan 4 and a seat 6. The pan 4 and seat 6 are each molded or otherwise formed of a suitable plastic, such as polyethelene or polypropylene.

The pan 4 is an open top member having a base 8 with a central conical section 10 and an outer opposed conical corner section 12, the latter forming a stable base-support for the bedpan. Marginally connected to the outer periphery of the section 12 is a somewhat conical sidewall 14 that terminates in a tapered or wedge shaped ring 16 that defines the top opening of the pan 4. The ring 16 has tapering sides 18, 20 that converge toward the free end of the wedge-shaped ring. Below theside 20 the ring 16 is formed with a shoulder 22, as best seen in FIG. 10. The ring 16 is, furthermore, of generally circular configuration as seen in plan view (FIG. 1).

The seat 6 is a generally oval-shaped member as seen in plan view and is convex when viewed from the top side and concave when viewed from the bottom side. The seat 6 includes an outward, angularly inclined surrounding flange 24, a dish-shaped surface 26, and an inner depending flange 28. The flange 28 is axially and radially inwardly of the open top of the pan and defines a generally oval-shaped opening 30 that communicates with the interior of the pan 4.

The junction of the upper end of the peripheral flange 24 and the upper end of the surface 26 forms a crest or outer rim of the seat that is higher than the inner portion of the seat, namely that inner portion at the junction of the flange 28 and the lower end of the surface 26. More particularly the crest or outer rim at the region 32 is higher than the outer rim at the region 34. The regions 32, 34 are proximate to the respective opposite ends of the oval-shaped opening 30. intermediate the region 32, 34 are outer rim regions 36, 36 which are proximate to the sides of the oval-shaped opening 30. Like the regions 32, 34, the regions 36, 36 are defined as being at the junction of the upper end of the surface 26 and the flange 24. These regions 36, 36 are slightly lower than either of the regions 32, 34, whereby the slope of the surface 26 is less at the sides of the seat than at the ends thereof. Thus, the regions 32, 34, 36, 36 and the surface 26 form a dishor saddleshaped configuration that tends to keep the patient in place on the seat.

Depending from the lower side of the seat 6 is a U- shaped circular ring 38 having a nominal diameter that issubstantially the same as that of the wedge-shaped ring 16. This circular ring 38 is nearly as wide as the seat, as best seen in FIG. 1. The outer leg 40 of the U- shaped ring 38 is longer than the inner leg 42, and the two legs define a cavity 44 that narrows or converges upwardly. Furthermore, the lower end of the leg 40 has a radially extending lip 46 which is adapted to lock under the shoulder 22 when the seat and pan are assembled.

it will be noted that the flange 28 is variably spaced radially inwardly from the ring 38. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 4 the flange 28 is spaced the greatest from the ring 38 along the sides of the seat, namely near the regions 36, 36. On the other hand, and as seen in FIG. 5, the flange 28 is spaced a lesser distance at the end of the seat that is proximate with the region 34. However, at the opposite end of the seat, namely that proximate to the region 32, the flange 28 merges with the leg 42 to provide a band 50 at which the flange 28 is flush with the upper end portion of the sidewall 14. This band 50 provides a region over a minor circumference of the sidewall 14 that facilitates emptying and cleaning of the bedpan because the region 50 serves as a spout.

As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 the pans and seats can be placed in respective stacks whereby a given plurality of seats and a given plurality of pans will occupy less space than a given number of seat and pan members which are assembled as bedpans. The conical configuration of the sidewall 14 facilitates nesting of the pans. The respectively stacked pans and seats will be separately packaged and stored. When a bedpan is desired the nurse or other attendant can take one seat and one pan from the tops of the respective stacks and assemble them to form the completed bedpan.

in assembling the bedpan, the seat 6 and pan 4. are relatively pressed axially toward one another so that the rings 16, 38 engage. Because both rings have like nominal diameters the rings may be coaxially moved together at any relative orientation about the common axis. Both rings are yieldable within their elastic limits to some degree, but primarily it is the outer leg 40 that yields by flexing inwardly to open up the U for receiving the ring 18 as best indicated in FIG. 9. When the lip 46 moves past theshoulder 22, the lip 46 will snap against the shoulder 22 to lock the ring 18 in the cavity 44 circumferentially therearound. The snap-locking fit of the rings is sufflciently strong that separation of the seat and pan is not likely to occur during use or handling of the bedpan. Moreover, the seal at the rings 16, 38 is fluid tight so that leaks in the unit are prevented.

The invention is claimed as follows:

' l. A bedpan comprising an open top pan member having a sidewall, a seat member at said open top and having an opening for communication with the interior of said pan member, said opening being generally ovalshaped, said seat member having a dish-shaped seat surface that slopes from a crest region outwardly of saidopening and outwardly of said open top toward said opening and completely therearound so that a patient tends to stay in place on said seat member, a flange on said seat member lying axially and radially inwardly of the open top of the pan member to define said oval-shaped opening, said flange extending the full inner circumferential extent of said seat member and being at varying radial distances from said sidewall and being closely adjacent to said sidewall in a region thereof at one end of the oval to facilitate emptying the bedpan thereat, and means forming a fluid tight connection between said seat member and said pan member; said means comprising a fist circular ring element of U-shaped cross section on one of said members and a second circular ring element on the other member that telescopes into said U-shaped element, at least one of said ring, elements being sufficiently yieldable within its elastic limitsto distend and receive the other element upon assembly of the elements, the two elements being so constructed as to cause them to interlock upon such assembly, said ring elements being of such diameters as to permit assembly at any relative orientation about a common axis passing through the centers of said elements.

2. A bedpan according to claim 1 in which the slope at one end of the oval is greater than the slope at the sides of the oval.

3. A bedpan according toclaim 1 in which said first element is on said seat member, said second element is on the end of said sidewall that is at the open top of the pan member, and said first element has a lip that yields upon insertion of said second elementtherein and then snap locks therewith.

4. A bedpan according to claim 1 in which said sidewall is conical to' permit a number of pan members to be nested together, and said seat members are shaped to permit stacking, whereby a given plurality of stacked seat members and a given plurality of nested pan members will occupy less space than said given number of seat and pan members assembled as bedpans.

5. A bedpan comprising an open top pan having a sidewall, a seat at said open top, said seat having a seat surface extending both inwardly and outwardly of said open top, interfitting means on said seat and on said sidewall for securing said seat and pan together in any relative orientation about a common axes of said interfitting means, a flange on said seat and projecting into the open top of said pan and defining an oval-shaped opening for communication with the interior of said pan, said flange being radially inwardly spaced from said sidewall over a region that is a major portion of the circumferential extent of the sidewall and being substantially flush with said sidewall over a region that is a minor portion of the circumferential extent of said sidewall to facilitate emptying the bedpan at the lattermentioned region, said flange merging with said interfitting means on said side-wall at said last-mentioned region. 

1. A bedpan comprising an open top pan member having a sidewall, a seat member at said open top and having an opening for communication with the interior of said pan member, said opening being generally oval-shaped, said seat member having a dishshaped seat surface that slopes from a crest region outwardly of said opening and outwardly of said open top toward said opening and completely therearound so that a patient tends to stay in place on said seat member, a flange on said seat member lying axially and radially inwardly of the open top of the pan member to define said oval-shaped opening, said flange extending the full inner circumferential extent of said seat member and being at varying radial distances from said sidewall and being closely adjacent to said sideWall in a region thereof at one end of the oval to facilitate emptying the bedpan thereat, and means forming a fluid tight connection between said seat member and said pan member; said means comprising a fist circular ring element of Ushaped cross section on one of said members and a second circular ring element on the other member that telescopes into said Ushaped element, at least one of said ring elements being sufficiently yieldable within its elastic limits to distend and receive the other element upon assembly of the elements, the two elements being so constructed as to cause them to interlock upon such assembly, said ring elements being of such diameters as to permit assembly at any relative orientation about a common axis passing through the centers of said elements.
 2. A bedpan according to claim 1 in which the slope at one end of the oval is greater than the slope at the sides of the oval.
 3. A bedpan according to claim 1 in which said first element is on said seat member, said second element is on the end of said sidewall that is at the open top of the pan member, and said first element has a lip that yields upon insertion of said second element therein and then snap locks therewith.
 4. A bedpan according to claim 1 in which said sidewall is conical to permit a number of pan members to be nested together, and said seat members are shaped to permit stacking, whereby a given plurality of stacked seat members and a given plurality of nested pan members will occupy less space than said given number of seat and pan members assembled as bedpans.
 5. A bedpan comprising an open top pan having a sidewall, a seat at said open top, said seat having a seat surface extending both inwardly and outwardly of said open top, interfitting means on said seat and on said sidewall for securing said seat and pan together in any relative orientation about a common axes of said interfitting means, a flange on said seat and projecting into the open top of said pan and defining an oval-shaped opening for communication with the interior of said pan, said flange being radially inwardly spaced from said sidewall over a region that is a major portion of the circumferential extent of the sidewall and being substantially flush with said sidewall over a region that is a minor portion of the circumferential extent of said sidewall to facilitate emptying the bedpan at the latter-mentioned region, said flange merging with said interfitting means on said side-wall at said last-mentioned region. 